Morning all.
It’s hard to believe that back in February 2008, Bournemouth were forced into administration, suffering a ten-point deduction. The club almost went out business and were relegated to Division Two. Eddie Howe stepped into management with the club and despite a lot of problems off the pitch, took the club into Division One but then left. But it was his return in 2012/13 which took Bournemouth in the Championship and then the Premier League. Remarkable really. Relegation cost Howe his job eight years later but after appointing Scott Parker a few years later, in 2022, they returned to the Premier League and there they have stayed.
The south coast club did the double over us last season, how, no pun intended, I don’t know. Playing the away game with ten players for about an hour didn’t help that’s for sure.
Mikel Arteta held his pre match press conference yesterday where he was asked:
Any fresh injury concerns after Tuesday?
> No, we haven’t trained yet, so today’s going to be the first training session with the players who started against Villa. We will know more this afternoon.
If the swelling on Rice’s knee has reduced?
> Not yet, and we have another session today, so let’s see how he comes in today and how that’s feeling, but \[he Villa\] game was too early for him.
Calafiori and Mosquera?
> They are both out.
A back four similar to the one which faced Villa then, unless two games in a row is too much for the recently returned Gabriel. I can’t see Declan Rice being risked either which if is the case, a rare start for Christian Norgaard could be on the cards. I hope one of Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Mosquera get a start too or Ethan Nwaneri. It makes sense to me but then I’m not a football manager. A good job eh as I’d be unemployed…. lol
Seriously though, I really hope we get to see Mikel Arteta use more of his squad players through this half of the season. Not all at once of course, that would be bonkers but one/two changes each game and when it’s possible, earlier substitutions as well as using all five.
Arsenal’s Adrian Clarke:
_Bournemouth might not be in great form, but they are never easy to play against. Under Iraola they are always one of the most ferocious pressing outfits, who place a strong emphasis on being aggressive and intense in their duels. Statistically, they press more often than any other top-flight side, but the absence of tigerish ball-winner Adams may weaken them a little in this department._
_Iraola’s teams are usually low on possession, but when they spring attacks, they do so at real speed. So, when we commit players forward and lose the ball, the Cherries are sure to explode forward in numbers on the break. Our upcoming opponents have scored a division-high seven times from fast breaks this season. Semenyo, right winger David Brooks and attacking midfielders Marcus Tavernier and Justin Kluivert are all talented individuals who can create chances._
_They line up in a 4-2-3-1, with Adrien Truffert \[above\] advancing high as an attacking left-back. The summer signing has produced 86 open play crosses so far, the joint most of anyone in the Premier League. As we saw last time out at Chelsea, the Cherries also present a major threat from long throws. Semenyo hurls the ball into the box at pace, and they are excellent at getting on the end of near-post flick-ons._
_Defending has been an issue for them in 2025/26. On home turf, they have only leaked six goals, but away from the south coast, Bournemouth have conceded 29 times already. Set pieces have been especially problematic, letting in 12 goals this term from dead-ball situations._
Bournemouth are without Christie, Adams, Milosavljevic, Gannon-Doak tonight and Araujo who has moved to Celtic on loan. Cook is facing a late fitness test after missing the game against Chelsea at the weekend.
The south coast club haven’t won a league game since October so they will be looking to start the New Year off with a win. Semenyo will either be eager to say goodbye to the home fans in style or reluctant to do anything which might jeopardise his reported big move to City. Either way, he’ll be a handful.
Arsenal need to be more than a handful for Bournemouth this evening. A fast start, an early goal from Viktor Gyokeres and then go for the jugular. None of this sitting back malarky because all that does is invite pressure. Don’t give Bournemouth an inch, nor the officials for that matter.
Catch up in the comments.